I know in phosphate reactors you can also use activated carbon as an alternative....but what about anything else? Can any other filter media go in it?
whats the highest quality to use for a 150 gallon?
are wave makers un necisary if you have severl powerheads? or do some corals and fish require wave makers?
There is alot of talk about water flow in a tank being as important, if not more important, than the lights.. I get impression people want a tornado in there tanks!!! (well okay, not THAT much). I guess my qustion has to do with the Fish....wouldnt that much water flow disturbe the fish? I know in the freshwater world you dont want too much water flow, like wave makers or someting, the fish would get tossed and bounced around so much they would die! wouldnt too much water motion be stresful and harmful to the fish?
Most marine fish are used to a heavy wave action in the wild so that's not much of an issue. Plus they can seek out slower water movement behind liverock or inside caves you setup. In my small tank I use a Hydor Flo which basically rotates the powerhead 360 degrees using just the force of the water, no electricity. It makes enough movement to avoid dead spots. In a larger tank you might need a wave maker, closed loop, or other means of generating more than just a straight laminar flow.
As for phosphate reactors, I have no experience in that realm and can't comment.
ok. i am happy that i bought that book btw. Still reading it. Its highly adictive. makes me want to Toss and Turn in bed because I am so eager to learn! lol
Every reef tank is different and therefore the equipment necessary to run it is different. Specifically...
Phosphate reactors - Necessary in some instances but not all. You would want one if you 1) feed your tank too much 2) keep corals (mainly SPS) that require low phosphates to have brighter colors or 3) both 1 and 2. You could also use one for activated carbon but I prefer to use carbon passively (in a bag or mesh container in a high flow area of the sump). I like to use carbon passively because it means one less pump to run and maintain.
Wave makers - For a tank your size... a wise investment.
IMO a phosphate reactor is a pretty good investment. I actually have two right now that have been used for different things and I'd be willing to part with one.
A "wavemaker" is quite a subjective term, you've got a bunch of different ways to "make waves" in an aquarium. You can do it with two power heads, one on each side of the tank cycling on and off.. you can do it with what's called a wave box as well, you can also have a surge device to create waves. A wavemaker is a nice to have, but definitely not necessary.. I've never had one and I've had some very nice results. Also, having waves constantly going back and forth in a tank tends to have a negative effect on the lifespan of your aquarium if it's glass.. not huge, but constant back and forth will put extra stress on the silicone adhesive.
I think before you ask all these questions about what you need, you should be asking yourself "what types of marinelife do I want to keep?"
I have a Tunze Nano Wave maker in my 155 plus three power heads. my fish are happy with it. Not any tumbleing around in there. I think it is a good idea.
phosphate reactor/wave maker
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